Author: Emil Lazarian

It is our Achilles heel as a people. We are strong on opinions and weak on collaboration. The politics in Armenia are a classic example. While our enemies threaten our very survival, we choose to engage in internal conflict. In the diaspora, our organizational landscape reflects continuous addition but little subtraction. We add groups at will while legacy groups struggle to survive generational transfer. While the real enemy in the diaspora is assimilation, the reality is we compete against each other for the limited mindshare that our brethren in the diaspora can offer for their faith and heritage. I think you all know what I am referring to. Unless we have been residing on a distant planet, it is clearly visible in our daily American-Armenian life. We have too many redundant organizations, some born out of a desire to keep traditional groups relevant and others launched with new ideas and not enough cooperation. There are many noble attempts by people of goodwill. The lineup has more to do with legacy political affiliations than a core mission. We have the AYF, Hamazkayin, ARF and ARS. In parallel, there is the AGBU, ACYOA and Tekeyan. We have the ANCA and the Assembly. Some organizations have evolved to being non-partisan such as the Knights of Vartan, NAASR or AIWA. Unlike the past, it is rare to see overt conflict between Armenian groups today. Skeptical? Look at the pages of the Baikar and Hairenik publications 40 to 50 years ago. Today’s challenge is that we have become a large conglomerate of groups with no organizational relationships with each other. Looking at the diaspora from the outside illustrates this point. In a corporate environment with a struggling market, we would strategically consolidate to optimize results and enable growth. It’s true we are not a corporation, but we do have limited resources, a target market and core capabilities. The challenge is that we have no mechanism to address this problem. Just keep the lights on. In the 125 years of an active diaspora, we have certainly created division but have little experience in strategic collaboration or alliance building. We live in silos. Thinking of the whole becomes very parochial.

Our beloved church is always a good barometer of community health. The month of May is a time of renewal for the church. The Feast of the Resurrection followed by the period of Eastertide usually occurs during the Diocesan assemblies. I say plural because like most things in our Armenian life we have to have at least two. We have two dioceses, two diocesan primates/prelates and two assemblies (Diocesan and National Representative Assembly, or NRA). I wish we could at least use the same terms. It would make explaining this redundancy to our youth easier. I have tried for many years. Relations are cordial today but still clearly administratively divided. My personal protest to the stain of our continued division has been to ignore its reality. I gladly support all Armenian churches. I spent many years as an NRA delegate and later as a delegate to the Diocesan Assembly. Usually when you remain separate and distinct, there are clear differentiators. There are a few, but generally we all live with the same hopes and challenges. I have often found it interesting that both dioceses constantly complain and are concerned about financial stability, yet they have significant tolerance for the wasteful spending created by the redundancy of separation. Are we looking at the American diaspora as a whole or just our piece of it? It is one of the many reasons why I abhor our division. It clouds our vision and limits our thinking. The diaspora lives under the constant threat of assimilation. We have no room for obvious inefficiencies.

The Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I (left) and the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II (right) during the canonization of Armenian Martyrs into Sainthood, April 23, 2015

The good news is that both dioceses (Prelacy with Antelias and Diocese with Etchmiadzin) are led by wonderful and deeply spiritual leaders. Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian from the Eastern Prelacy is a beloved clergyman who has worked tirelessly on behalf of the faithful. If you have not experienced a badarak with His Eminence as the celebrant, please do your spiritual health a favor. His melodious chanting brings us closer to God with spiritual joy. The Antelias seminary has produced excellent clergy for many generations, particularly the celebrated clergy since its revival under Karekin I Hovseptiants of blessed memory. Last year, the Diocese elected a new primate in Hayr Soorp Mesrob Parsamyan. Hayr Soorp has been recovering from a serious car accident last summer and is thankfully now able to re-engage publicly in his duties. I have found him to be warm, approachable and a good listener. His elevation to bishop is scheduled for this fall at Holy Etchmiadzin. Whether you attend the Prelacy or Diocesan parishes, it is important that you give these two elected leaders your full support. Our support to clergy leaders is often clouded with ceremonial patronizing. These men cannot lead us unless we have the knowledge and fortitude to speak frankly and passionately about the future of our church. Too often, our bishops arrive at our parishes and see a false picture of reality. The choirs are full, and Sunday School is vibrant. It is another version of the Christmas and Easter attendance. The following Sunday is the picture they should see. Perhaps “unannounced” visits would be more productive. Only with a firm grasp of reality can we make real and sustainable progress. We can’t be critical of our leaders unless we have given our best in proposing solutions. Our community has many admirable traits, but we must learn to match criticism with commitment. If we could add one dollar to the church endowment fund for every measurement of commitment and subtract for every critical opinion, I am afraid that we would carry a significant deficit. Opinions may be the seeds, but commitment is the fertilizer.

This year, we will have the opportunity to experience the leadership of Hayr Soorp Parsamyan in earnest since he has had to focus on his recovery for much of this past year. Primates are public figures, and their interaction with the faithful is a major part of their ministry. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to be elected and then isolated for months after a devastating injury. Thanks to God, he has recovered and now will continue his delayed journey. This fall, Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will make a major pontifical visit to the Eastern Prelacy. The intent will be to visit each parish affiliated with the Prelacy. Aram Vehapar is an educated, dynamic and visionary leader who was mentored by Karekin I Catholicos of All Armenians (formerly Karekin II of Cilicia) of blessed memory. On the occasion of his historic visit, I have a request for His Holiness and the Etchmiadzin Eastern Diocese in the United States. It would be both appropriate and inspiring if Aram I was invited to conduct a hrashapar service at St. Vartan’s Cathedral or at a diocesan parish. This, of course, would require an initiative from the host parish. Unprecedented, perhaps…but what a significant message it would be. During the centennial anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in 2015, many Armenians had their first encounter with Aram Vehapar during events in Washington, DC. Most attendees from diocesan parishes did not previously know him because of our divided state and were impressed with this outstanding Armenian clergyman. This would be an opportunity to display a new level of spiritual oneness (avoiding the term unity). We are constantly lectured that it exists, but this would be “walking the talk.”

There is another reason to pursue such an event. We have lost our sense of history and foundation with our administrative separation. Participants from Antelias affiliations don’t know much about Etchmiadzin, and the reverse is also true. The Great House of Cilicia is an ancient hierarchical See of the Armenian church. Unfortunately, many in the United States only understand its presence in the context of the 20th century problem in North America. This is the seat where the Catholicos of All Armenians resided until 1441 and has had a prolific history in historic Cilicia. The story of the survival of the See with its permanent relocation in 1930 to Antelias after the Genocide is an Armenian journey of resilience and survival. It is part of our collective experience. Many diocesan clergymen were trained at the renowned seminary of the Holy See. What an inspiring experience for American Armenians to receive the blessing of the leader of one of our Holy Sees. Frankly, it has been nearly a decade and a half since the Catholicos of All Armenians visited the Eastern Diocese for a pontifical visit. He has traveled here several times during that duration but only for private deliberations. This is quite unfortunate. The faithful deserve the blessings of their leaders. It has been quite frustrating when Karekin II visits America but decides to keep his visits out of public view. During his last visit, he did make a stop in Albany to pray with the Primate at his rehabilitation center and the nearby diocesan camp. When Karekin II Vehapar visited several years ago, a hrashapar at a Prelacy church was advocated, but to no avail. We need our leaders to be among the people, particularly during these times of crisis in the global Armenian nation.

It is quite apparent that our community has lost its vigor for the administrative reunification of the church in America. We have become comfortable with our current level of cooperation, but not sufficiently motivated to finish the job. This is a crisis of leadership. Many will respond that a grassroots approach has been tried, and that the matter can only be resolved by the two vehapars. I would tend to agree, but if it is not on our radar it certainly will not be on theirs. This is not about church administrative unity. It is about Christian love and respect for each other to strengthen the Armenian church. We need to have the courage and vision to tear down the artificial walls and return to a natural state. As Armenian Christians, we should not let an anomaly in the 20th century distort our respect for a hierarchical See from Cilicia that is 1,000 years old. Likewise, we need to honor Holy Etchmiadzin as the seat of Armenian Christendom. If you don’t care for the leadership of individuals, it should never prevent us from respect for the seat and for our greater church. If we lose these gifts because we are blinded by distractions or disrespect, then we become responsible for the decline of our institutions. Our presence and actions do make a difference. Let us pray for the health of our prelate/primate and success in their ministries. Give us the strength to break down the superficial barriers preventing the sustained prosperity of our beloved church.

Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov meet in Washington on May 1, 2023 (Photo: Twitter/@SecBlinken)

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are in Washington this week to discuss normalizing relations between the two countries.

On May 3, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov met with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. They discussed “regional security and stability” and the “process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” according to a statement from Armenia’s Foreign Ministry. The foreign ministers previously met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday. Several days of negotiations are scheduled to end on May 4. 

The high-level delegations are hammering out a document titled “Agreement on normalization of relations,” according to anonymous US officials cited by Voice of America. The officials also said they are discussing the “rights and security of ethnic minorities.” 

“The question of the rights and security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh is central to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” another anonymous spokesperson from the US State Department said in written comments to RFE/RL on May 2. 

“Ultimately ensuring that this population can feel secure in their homes and have their rights protected is the only way to guarantee a lasting settlement to a conflict that has lasted too long and cost too many lives,” the spokesperson continued. 

The spokesperson said that the scope and nature of the final agreement on normalizing relations will be determined by Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Addressing the Armenian parliament on May 3, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that the Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations are negotiating over a specific document. He said the document does not contain any new information that he has not already shared publicly. 

These are the first face-to-face meetings between high-level officials from Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the blockade of Artsakh in December 2022. In a brief statement on Monday, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the “humanitarian situation resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan was touched upon” during the day’s meetings. 

“We have not parsed our words about the need for the free flow of traffic and people and commerce through the Lachin corridor,” US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on May 1 while announcing this week’s meetings. “That continues to be the case, and it’s something that we will continue to raise directly with our Armenian counterparts.”

Blinken held phone calls with both Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev prior to this week’s negotiations. During his call with Aliyev, Blinken “expressed the United States’ deep concern that Azerbaijan’s establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin corridor undermines efforts to establish confidence in the peace process, and emphasized the importance of reopening the Lachin corridor to commercial and private vehicles as soon as possible,” according to a readout from the US State Department. 

The United States and the European Union have increased their diplomatic engagement in the South Caucasus since the 2020 Artsakh War. During the latest meeting hosted by the EU in Prague on October 6, attended by Pashinyan and Aliyev, Armenia and Azerbaijan recognized each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. 

Pashinyan reiterated his commitment to recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity during his comments to the Armenian parliament on April 18. 

“A peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will become real if the two countries clearly, without ambiguities and pitfalls, recognize each other’s territorial integrity and agree on never having territorial disputes in the future,” Pashinyan said.

Russia has been critical of Western diplomacy in the Artsakh conflict, accusing the West of attempting to displace its role as the primary mediator in the conflict. Commenting on the ongoing meetings in Washington, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that there are “no alternatives” to trilateral documents signed together with Russia. He welcomed “any assistance that could help the settlement on this basis.” Yet he also suggested that Western mediation could “dilute the basis for the settlement, which may not work at all in the long run.”

In the past, Russian officials have accused the West of pushing for a settlement that would recognize Azerbaijan’s sovereignty over Artsakh. They have suggested that the Russian negotiation track would maintain the status quo in Artsakh. Western officials have denied this claim. 

“We remain committed to promoting a peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. We believe that direct dialogue is key to reaching a lasting peace, and we believe that peace is possible between these two countries,” Patel said on May 3rd.

The US-mediated meetings come a week after Azerbaijan installed a checkpoint at the entrance to the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor from Armenia. 

Azerbaijani protesters claiming to be environmental activists closed the Berdzor Corridor for over four months starting on December 12, 2022, placing Artsakh under blockade and cutting the region off from imports of food and medicine. The Berdzor Corridor is the sole route connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world. 

On April 28, following the installation of the military checkpoint five days earlier, the activists announced that they were suspending their protest. In an identical article published across Azerbaijani pro-government media, the protesters announced that the establishment of the checkpoint “caused us a sense of pride and joy.” 

“The creation of a border control mechanism is aimed at preventing any provocations by ensuring traffic transparency on the road, the rule of law and road safety,” the protesters said in a joint statement. 

The statement continues that the protesters “reserve the right to renew the action” if the Russian peacekeepers do not “stop the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits” in Artsakh. 

The installation of a military checkpoint violates the trilateral ceasefire agreement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia ending the 2020 Artsakh War. Under the terms of the agreement, Russian peacekeepers were deployed to the Berdzor Corridor to ensure the connection between Armenia and Artsakh. The agreement states that “Azerbaijan guarantees traffic safety along the Lachin Corridor of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions.” 

Artsakh authorities have said that, while protests along the Berdzor Corridor have ended, Artsakh is still under blockade due to the checkpoint. 

On April 30, an Azerbaijani public broadcast service shared a video of Armenian vehicles crossing the checkpoint. Azerbaijani border guards are seen searching the vehicles and inspecting travelers’ documents.

“As can be seen from the presented footage, people’s border crossing is organized in a neat and polite manner,” the broadcast service said. “Thus, the claims of the Armenian officials regarding the ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the Karabakh Armenians and the ‘blockade’ of the Lachin road are nothing more than another false propaganda.”

Yet Artsakh authorities said that the travelers had been forced to participate in filming the video. They had been assured by Russian peacekeepers that Azerbaijani guards would not intervene in their journey, according to Artsakh officials.

The four Armenian residents of Artsakh had been stuck in Goris, a city in Armenia’s southernmost province Syunik, due to the blockade. They had appealed to the Russian peacekeepers for assistance returning home, who agreed to transport them in private cars without inspection. Yet they were unexpectedly stopped by Azerbaijani officers at the checkpoint. 

The group was returning to their homes in Mets Shen, Hin Shen, Lisagor and Yeghtsahogh, villages in the Shushi region of Artsakh. The villages, located along the Berdzor Corridor, were cut off from the rest of Artsakh by the closure of the corridor by Azerbaijani activists. They have been cut off from Armenia by the checkpoint, placing them under a double blockade.

Artsakh State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan said that the humanitarian situation in these villages is deteriorating. 

“An attempt was made to supply food and medicine to these communities through the Artsakh office of the Red Cross, but these efforts were unsuccessful,” Nersisyan said.